Grab a coffee and get those neurons firing — today we've got a "What Connects These?" puzzle. Below are three sets of clues. Each set of items shares a hidden theme or link. Figure out what connects each group, then check your answers at the bottom.
Boxer, Beagle, Bulldog, Poodle — what connects these?
Mercury, Venus, Snickers, Mars — what connects these?
Tooth, Ear, Head, Stomach — what connects these?
How to play
Each group of four words shares something in common — it might be a word that can precede or follow all of them, a category they all belong to, or a clever wordplay link. Work through them one at a time, and don't peek at the answers until you've given each one a real shot!
Answers
Dog breeds — Boxer, Beagle, Bulldog, and Poodle are all breeds of dog.
Chocolate/candy bars & planets — Mars, Mercury, and Venus are planets, while Mars and Snickers are also chocolate bars. The connector: Mars is both a planet and a candy bar, linking the two themes.
They can all precede "ACHE" — Toothache, Earache, Headache, and Stomachache.
*Editor's note: Two earlier clue sets in this puzzle (one built around "Capital, Bass, Grand, Piano" and another around "Iron, Curtain, Call, Waiting") did not resolve to a single clean connector and have been pulled rather than run with a shaky answer. We'd rather serve you three solid puzzles than five wobbly ones.